Latest news with #Dharali
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Rescue operations underway after flash floods hit India's Dharali
STORY: :: Indian rescue crews step up search operations days after deadly flash floods hit a Himalayan village :: August 10, 2025 :: Dharali, India Drone footage showed houses in Dharali village buried in debris, with excavators removing boulders at the site of the mudslide. Multiple army personnel, villagers and laborers continue to remain missing, said Indo-Tibetan Border Police Commandant, Bhanu Pratap Singh on Saturday (August 9). Dharali, a hamlet of about 200 people that stands more than 3,775 ft (1,150 m) above sea level, is a pit-stop for Hindu pilgrims climbing to the temple town of Gangotri. Several deadly flood disasters have taken place in the mountain range over the past decade or so, which experts have blamed on climate change and widespread developmental activities on its slopes. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Houses buried under mudslide in India's flood-hit Uttarakhand
STORY: :: Rescue teams in Uttarakhand state search for missing people, including soldiers and laborers :: Dharali, India :: August 9, 2025 :: Harsil, India :: Flash floods, triggered by a cloudburst, hit Dharali and Harsil villages on Tuesday, killing at least four people Dharali, a hamlet of about 200 people that stands more than 1,150 m (3,775 ft) above sea level, is a pit-stop for Hindu pilgrims climbing to the temple town of Gangotri. Uttarakhand is prone to floods and landslides, which some experts blame on climate change.
CBC
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Six members of one family missing in India landslide
A mother and father recount the moment they learned of the flash flood and landslide that hit the Himalayan village of Dharali on Tuesday — and how they spoke with one of their children before the phone connection was lost and they weren't heard from again.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Climate
- Malay Mail
Glacier collapse likely behind deadly Indian Himalayan flood, experts say
NEW DELHI, Aug 9 — A deadly wall of muddy water that swept away an Indian Himalayan town this week was likely caused by a rapidly melting glacier exacerbated by the rising effects of climate change, experts said on Thursday. Scores of people are missing after water and debris tore down a narrow mountain valley, smashing into the town of Dharali in Uttarakhand state on Tuesday. Several people could be seen in videos running before being engulfed as waves uprooted entire buildings, leaving others smothered in freezing sludge. At least four people have been confirmed killed, but at least 50 others are missing. Government officials said shortly after the disaster that the flood was caused by an intense 'cloudburst' of rain. However, experts assessing the damage suggested that it was only the final trigger, adding to days of prolonged rains that had already soaked and loosened the ground. PK Joshi, of New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, an expert on Himalayan hazards, said it appeared the flood was caused by the collapse of debris — known as moraine — that had dammed a lake of meltwater from a retreating glacier. 'Given the persistent rainfall over preceding days and the sudden discharge observed, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) or collapse of a moraine-dammed lake is suspected as the primary trigger,' Joshi told AFP. That would have contributed to a 'sudden high energy flash flood', he said, noting that glacial terrain upstream of the town included 'unstable sediment zones'. Cloud cover has obstructed satellite imagery to check for the exact source of the debris, and Joshi cautioned that there was not enough satellite data for a 'definitive confirmation'. 'Disaster severity' Safi Ahsan Rizvi, an adviser to the National Disaster Management Authority, also said that it was 'likely' that the cause was a 'glacio-fluvial debris landslide'. Sandip Tanu Mandal, a glaciologist at New Delhi's Mobius Foundation, also pointed to the 'possibility of a GLOF', caused by 'significant water accumulation in the lake due to increased melting and rainfall'. Mandal noted that while heavy, the amount of rain immediately before the flood was 'not very significant' in comparison to the vast volumes of water that poured down the valley. That would indicate the source was a potentially collapsing lake. Himalayan glaciers, which provide critical water to nearly two billion people, are melting faster than ever before due to climate change, exposing communities to unpredictable and costly disasters, scientists warn. The softening of permafrost increases the chances of landslides. Joshi said the latest disaster 'highlights the complex and interconnected nature of Himalayan hazards'. Rapid development and building downstream meant that the damage caused was multiplied. 'The land use patterns in the floodplain exacerbated the disaster severity,' Joshi said. — AFP
Time of India
4 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
What Put Dharali In Harm's Way?
What Put Dharali In Harm's Way? Anjal Prakash Aug 7, 2025, 21:27 IST IST Climate change is big in the Himalayan region. But instead of mitigating risks, govts are aggravating these. Environmental clearances are undependable. So, local communities pay the price First and foremost, flash floods that wreaked havoc in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district on Tuesday underline the perils of neglecting ecological fragility in planning. Himalayas are sensitive to temperature rises, glaciers are retreating, and the terrain is increasingly prone to landslides and sudden floods. Post-2013 Kedarnath disaster, there was much talk about stricter regulation and ecological preservation. Yet, unchecked construction, hydropower projects and tourism infra have continued to mushroom, often ignoring environmental clearances. This recklessness has heightened the risk for vulnerable, local communities. Secondly, the event exposes the shortcomings of our early warning and disaster preparedness systems. The absence of an extensive network of Automatic Weather Stations (AWSs) and real-time monitoring means authorities are often reacting late, unable to evacuate or alert populations in time. According to a 2020 report by IMD, only about 150 AWSs are operational across the Himalayan region, far short of the needs dictated by a vast and fragile landscape.
